TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
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<strong>TRIBUTE</strong> TO TUNKU <strong>ABDUL</strong> RAHMAN<br />
would place him among the intelligently. His aims are to spread<br />
peace, good-will and plenty. To him, politics is a business<br />
of practical experience, not of theoretical ideas. He is the<br />
apotheosis of the ordinary man.<br />
His rise to fame and power was unsought and greatness was<br />
thrust upon him. Ten years ago the leadership of a somewhat distraught<br />
United Malay National Organisation fell vacant and rather<br />
reluctantly he took it over. The United Malay National Organisation<br />
was re-organised and re-inspired. In 1952 it joined with the<br />
Malayan Chinese Association and the Malayan Indian Congress to<br />
form the Alliance Party and won handsomely the first Municipal<br />
election in Kuala Lumpur. In 1957 the Alliance won Malaya's<br />
first genera! election with an almost complete capture of the seats.<br />
had much serious thinking to do. By nature he is a<br />
"Modern Conservative" who likes to retain and reform rather than a<br />
left winger who prefers to destroy and rebuild on the ruins. A<br />
survey of the situation showed that he had many assets. Malaya was<br />
wealthy; the standard of living was the highest in Asia; the<br />
public service was honest and efficient; schools, hospitals, communications<br />
were good; there had been no violent struggle for<br />
Merdeka and he had no generals and strong-arm types clamouring<br />
for the rewards of place, power and profit in the new set-up.<br />
His liabilities were heavy. The nine year old emergency remained<br />
and the psychological side, the battle for the hearts and minds<br />
of the people had to be re-inspired. The toughest of all the problems<br />
was that Malaya is a plural society. Lesser but still weighty<br />
questions came from the change over to a modern welfare state.<br />
Staffing the new departments, Social Welfare, Trades Unions,<br />
Broadcasting, Public Relations, Provident Fund, etc.etc. was far<br />
from easy. Defence forces had to be demobilised. The population<br />
explosion and the influx of country people to the town demanded<br />
the palliative of industrialisation. Rural areas lagged behind and<br />
had to be wakened from the sleep of centuries. Outside Malayan<br />
borders were some powerful nations which might become illdisposed<br />
and covetous.